Bachelor's · Chicago, Illinois
Is Communication and Media Studies at National Louis University worth it?
Low confidence Low confidence: fewer than 40 graduates behind the earnings figures.
The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans
Graduates typically don't earn back the cost within 20 years, compared with the no-degree baseline.
- Earnings 1 year after graduating
- $38,908
- Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Earnings 4 years after graduating
- Not enough graduates to report
- Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Typical federal debt at graduation
- $22,847
- NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
- Net cost to graduate, all families
- $44k (likely $44k – $58k)
- AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
- Earnings bump, year 4
- $1k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in IL
- 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Payback
- Not within 20 years in most scenarios
- Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
- 10-year net return
- −$209k (likely −$280k – −$130k)
- Today's dollars
- 20-year net return
- −$191k (likely −$331k – −$37k)
- Today's dollars
- Odds of finishing (school-wide)
- 32%
- Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Change income, residency or loans Compare Communication and Media Studies at other schools
Other majors at National Louis University
- Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral)$136,173
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$86,139
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral)$80,648
- Human Resources Management and Services (Master's)$79,490
- Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's)$78,175
- Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's)$76,905
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's)$74,580
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)$74,144
- Public Administration (Master's)$73,033
- Curriculum and Instruction (Master's)$70,926
- Special Education and Teaching (Master's)$65,083
- Health and Medical Administrative Services (Bachelor's)$64,430
Communication and Media Studies at other schools in Illinois
- Northwestern University$93,541
- Southern Illinois University-Carbondale$69,034
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign$66,439
- Lake Forest College$64,580
- Augustana College$63,730
- Wheaton College$60,695
- Illinois State University$60,414
- Loyola University Chicago$58,256
- Eastern Illinois University$57,887
- University of Illinois Chicago$56,845